1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image display apparatus using a bundle of plural image display devices as one complete display apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional image display apparatus is so designed that in displaying an image signal from one image control device, the whole image plane may be occupied for the sake of the display. It enables the image of the display part of a television set, a personal computer or a measuring instrument to be displayed in such a state as to occupy the relevant image display apparatus. For the purpose of displaying a plurality of independent images, therefore, it is necessary that as many image display apparatus be prepared as the images desired to be displayed. Of course, time-division multiplexing or space multiplexing is conceivable. Namely, the idea of displaying a plurality of images on a single image display apparatus by implementing time-division multiplexing by the use of a switching device is feasible. Also, the idea of implementing space multiplexing by the use of an image plane dividing device, thereby producing a synthesized image composed of a plurality of images and displaying the synthesized image by inserting a plurality of image planes in one image plane is feasible. For the purpose of synthesizing a plurality of images and displaying the resultant synthesized image, it is necessary that a control device capable of performing the operation of synthesis be separately prepared. Contrary to the preceding case, the display of one image as apportioned among a plurality of display devices has been known as a multi-monitor display (or a multi-display) and has been finding popular acceptance. It consists in constructing an image display apparatus possessing a physically large image plane by concatenating a plurality of display devices. These display devices are individually caused by a common control device to display their respective image signals proper to the positions of the display devices in the complete display apparatus. Since the plurality of display devices are concatenated to construct a complete image display apparatus possessing a physically large image plane and the display devices are individually required to receive image signals cut out into the regions allocated to the display devices, it is necessary that a control device capable of supplying the plurality of display devices with the image signals of their own be prepared separately.
One image display apparatus enables simultaneous display of a plurality of material images differing in specification and, even when an image display apparatus is constructed by causing display devices to be arbitrarily aligned vertically and bilaterally in accordance with the principle of multi-display, one image can be displayed on the image display apparatus.
This invention enables simultaneous display of image materials differing in specification to be attained without entailing deterioration of image quality by providing an image display apparatus capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of images without requiring preparation of a synthesized image. This invention also enables display of one image on the image display apparatus to be attained without requiring a control device even when the image display apparatus is constructed by causing the display devices to be arbitrarily aligned vertically and bilaterally.
This invention is aimed at enabling the contents displayed on television sets, personal computers and measuring instruments and the image data of varying forms of display, such as the digital cameras, portable telephone image planes, electronic books and electronic newspapers, to be displayed at optional positions in one image display apparatus in a possibly overlapping state and in a numerous quantity by converting varying image signals into a digital image signal conforming to a unified specification. Further, using this invention enables a continued display image plane to be obtained by concatenating display units and permits the continued display image plane to effect seamless display at optional positions in the plurality of display image planes as though they were one giant image plane from the beginning. The display devices to be concatenated may vary in resolution or image plane renewing interval as between monochrome and color or between still image and moving image. The user of the invention, therefore, is capable of combining display devices of his own choice disposed at positions of his own choice and handling them as one complete image display apparatus. The digital image signals to be used in this invention may have no relation with the size of the image plane of the display device. When the size of the image plane of the display device is 100×100 pixels and the size of the image signal is 120×80 pixels, for example, part of the image signal is displayed and the part of the image signal that protrudes from the display device is either displayed on another display device or discarded.
The image signal is caused to form an image signal packet that has a position designated for starting display. The display device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with a plurality of input-output terminals and at least one input-output terminal intended for the image display apparatus destined to be vertically, bilaterally and obliquely connected. The display devices function individually to read the position for starting display indicated in the image signal packet, judge the part of the range of display in the relevant display device and display the part. When a part falling outside the range of display happens to exist, the display position data of that part of the image signal packet is processed and output through the proper one of the input-output terminals. In case two or more image signal packets are to be displayed at the same position, the contents of the display are decided in accordance with the procedure established in advance and used for the display.